נָפַל

From the study of Proverbs 24:17

Range of meaning

To fall: physically (from a height, onto your face), in battle ('fall by the sword'), to collapse or be ruined (a city or house 'falls'), to die, to lose status. It can also mean to fall upon someone (attack) or a lot 'falling.' In wisdom literature it usually means coming to ruin or disaster.

Against the English

Every major English version says 'falls,' and that is accurate. But 'fall' in church English easily brings to mind 'falling into sin' or moral failure. The Hebrew word here means disaster, ruin or defeat, not sin as such.

How it drifted

Church vocabulary ('the Fall,' 'a fallen pastor,' 'backsliding') has made 'fall' a moral word in English. Hebrew nafal does not carry that sense by default.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common across the Hebrew Bible: 'how the mighty have fallen' (2 Sam 1:19, 25), Babylon 'has fallen' (Isa 21:9). In Proverbs: 'he who digs a pit will fall into it' (26:27), 'pride goes before... a fall'-type sayings (16:18 uses a related idea with kishalon, 'stumbling'). The Septuagint here uses piptō, 'fall,' and the Vulgate cadere.

From the study of Isaiah 26:19

Range of meaning

To fall; in the causative form, to make fall, throw down, drop, or cast lots. In Isaiah 26:18 the simple form is used of birth ('the inhabitants of the world have not fallen', meaning have not been born). Later Hebrew uses nephel for a miscarried child.

Against the English

KJV and WEB have 'cast out', which sounds like rejecting or expelling. BSB has 'bring forth', and NIV, ESV and NASB have 'give birth', which keep the birth image. YLT has 'thou causest to fall', which makes God the subject.

How it drifted

'Cast out' is a reasonable literal rendering, but in modern English it means getting rid of something, so the birth image linking v.18 and v.19 is lost.

Used elsewhere in the period

In v.18 the people were in labour but gave birth to wind, and no inhabitants 'fell' (were born). Here the same verb shows the earth succeeding where they failed. The source data parses tappil as 'she', with the earth as subject; the form can also be 'you', with God as subject. Its gloss 'deserting' does not fit here.

From the study of Amos 9:11

Range of meaning

The verb nāpal means to fall: in battle, in collapse, in ruin, or prostrate before someone. Here it is a participle, a verbal adjective, which can describe ongoing action ('falling, tottering') or a resulting state ('fallen, lying down').

Against the English

Most versions say 'fallen'. KJV/ESV-style 'that is fallen' keeps the state. Andersen and Freedman argue for 'falling', a structure in the middle of collapse. WEB's 'David who is fallen' makes David the one who fell, but the Hebrew form is feminine and agrees with 'booth', not with David.

Used elsewhere in the period

Amos's book is built on this verb:

• 5:2: 'Fallen (nāpᵉlāh), never to rise (qûm) again, is virgin Israel'
• 8:14: 'they will fall and never rise again'
• 3:14: the horns of the altar 'will fall to the ground'
• 9:9: 'not a pebble will fall to the ground'